ABSTRACT In 2022, leukemia ranked as the second most common hematological malignancy after non-Hodgkin lymphoma worldwide. However, updated global estimates of leukemia incidence by subtype

are unavailable. We estimated leukemia incidences for different leukemia subtypes by country, world region, and human developmental index using data from the Cancer Incidence in Five

Continents databases combined with the GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates of leukemia in 185 countries. We estimated sex-specific age-standardized rates (ASRs) per 100 000 for children (0–19 years) and

adults (20+ years). In adults, the most common leukemia worldwide was AML (males: 38%, ASR = 3·1; females: 43%, ASR = 2·4), followed by CLL (males: 28%, ASR = 2·2; females: 24%, ASR = 1·3).

from 57 to 78% among boys, and from 49 to 80% among girls. Our findings suggest clear geographical patterns of leukemia subtypes in adults and children. Further research into underlying

causes that explain these variations is needed to support cancer control strategies for prevention and plan national healthcare needs. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This

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OF HEMATOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES AND EVOLUTION PATTERNS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS Article Open access 17 May 2023 INCIDENCE OF MYELOID NEOPLASMS IN SPAIN (2002–2013): A POPULATION-BASED STUDY OF THE

SPANISH NETWORK OF CANCER REGISTRIES Article Open access 10 January 2022 GLOBAL TRENDS AND BURDEN OF BRAIN AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CANCERS IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS GBD 2021 STUDY

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was supported by the International Agency for Research on Cancer / World Health Organization and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen (PhD research

fellowship). We thank all the cancer registries who contributed data to the Cancer Incidence in Five Countries and/or GLOBOCAN 2022. FUNDING The work was funded by The International Agency

for Research on Cancer and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Cancer Surveillance Branch, International Agency for Research on

Cancer, Lyon, France Dagrun S. Daltveit, Eileen Morgan, Murielle Colombet, Eva Steliarova-Foucher & Isabelle Soerjomataram * Section for Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department

of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway Dagrun S. Daltveit * Casablanca Cancer Registry, Ibn Rochd Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco Karima Bendahhou *

CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health CIBERESP ISCIII, Madrid, Spain Rafael Marcos-Gragera * Epidemiology Unit and Girona Cancer Registry, Oncology Coordination Plan, Department of Health,

Autonomous Government of Catalonia, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Girona, Spain Rafael

Marcos-Gragera * National Central Cancer Registry, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union

Medical College, Beijing, China Zheng Rongshou * Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK Alexandra Smith * Institute of

Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, China Hui Wei Authors * Dagrun S. Daltveit View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar * Eileen Morgan View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Murielle Colombet View author publications You can also

search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Eva Steliarova-Foucher View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Karima Bendahhou View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Rafael Marcos-Gragera View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Zheng

Rongshou View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Alexandra Smith View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google

Scholar * Hui Wei View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Isabelle Soerjomataram View author publications You can also search for this author

inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS IS, EM, and DSD designed and planned the study with support from AS. MC prepared the data. DSD performed the data analyses and wrote the first draft of

the manuscript with support from IS and EM. All authors had access to data, interpreted the results, revised the manuscript, and were responsible for the final decision to submit for

publication. Where authors are identified as personnel of the International Agency for Research on Cancer / World Health Organization, the authors alone are responsible for the views

expressed in this article and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy, or views of the International Agency for Research on Cancer / World Health Organization. CORRESPONDING

AUTHOR Correspondence to Dagrun S. Daltveit. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing interests. ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE The study uses

anonymized and aggregated data publicly available in open-access repositories. Thus, ethical approval is not required. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PUBLISHER’S NOTE Springer Nature remains neutral

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manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law. Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Daltveit,

D.S., Morgan, E., Colombet, M. _et al._ Global patterns of leukemia by subtype, age, and sex in 185 countries in 2022. _Leukemia_ 39, 412–419 (2025).

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41375-024-02452-y Download citation * Received: 27 September 2024 * Revised: 21 October 2024 * Accepted: 23 October 2024 * Published: 20 November 2024 * Issue Date:

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